Random Culture

Audi TT Microsite

Audi has launched a new website for the 2008 TT. One of the features I like about the site, that more auto manufacturers have been doing, is incorporating a custom "build your own" specifically for that model, rather than sending visitors back to the main website.

Mercedes C Class: One Minute

Mercedes has launched an interesting site for the C Class in Spain. It gives visitors one minute to learn about the car by clicking on photos that are in the form of a clock that counts down the minute. No need to understand Spanish to explore the site. Although there may be some usability issues with the site, it's an interesting and new experience, and worth checking out. Built by the folks at Wysiwyg.

Link via Adverblog.

Mini: Hammer & Coop

Mini has launched a new website, Hammer and Coop. It's basically a parody of shows like Starsky and Hutch, mixed with a bit of Knight Rider influences. Definitely worth checking out. I also noticed that the actor who played "Ogre" in Revenge of the Nerds also appears... 80s anyone?

Link via Adverblog.

Lexus Magazine Interactive

Lexus has launched a serial novel, Black Sapphire Pearl, written by Los Angeles author Mark Haskell Smith. The article appears in the Lexus quarterly magazine, but is available online here as well. The second part is ready, and the third part is coming soon.

For more on the effort, check out this Washington Post article.

Link via AdPulp.

Volvo C30: Mock This Car

Volvo has released a new site for the Volvo C30, where visitors are prompted to express their opinion about the car. You can view the site at Volvocars.com/freewill. The site includes a number of videos, which are available for download, even on mobile devices. There's a ton of video and flash integration... worth checking out.

Link via Three Minds @ Organic.

On Toyota's Mind

Toyota has launched an interesting new multi-lingual brand site, called "On Toyota's Mind." The site is mostly about things like innovation and the environment. Definitely worth checking out. Designed and built by  Swedish interactive design firm North Kingdom.

Saturn Outlook

Saturn has launched a new website for the Outlook, one of their upcoming car models. The site has a ton of video/flash integration, and a little birdie told me that this is a Hi-Res site? Seems a little tame for one of their sites to me, but you never know. They carry the "theater" theme through every aspect of the site.

BMW X3 SAV Site

BMW has launched an interesting site for the new X3 SAV. The site's a bit unconventional, and focuses on how the "SAV" is different than an "SUV." So different, in fact, that it deserved another name.

Audi R8 Website

Audi has unveiled the new R8, and has released a great microsite to spread the word. It features some nice video and flash integration. Definitely worth checking out. No word on who created the site.

Link via Signal vs. Noise.

Saturn: Local Online Video Ads

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners has launched an interesting campaign for the new Saturn Aura. The campaign uses Google's "click to play" video ads, distributed through Google's network of content providers, and is locally targeted to 6 market areas. The video ads feature an introduction from local dealership managers, and utilize a Google Earth animation to drive that local connection. Check out this New York Times article about the campaign.

Here's an example of what one of these ads would look like placed at one of Google's content partners.

In addition, I've included the video below:

I think this is a great example of advertising using targeted video ads in a really effective manner. The videos are not only made relevant through localization, but they're not just re-purposing commercials. They're actually creating video specifically for the web.

Thanks to Hashem for the heads up!

Say Hello to Internet-Only Advertising

Advertising Age has a great article with details and some early results for Pontiac's experimental Internet-Only advertising push for the G5. According to the article:

"The G5's digital debut will cost 60% to 70% less than a traditional car launch, although he declined to reveal specific spending. (A launch for a new model such as the G5 typically runs $25 million to $30 million.)

And guess what, there are results! It's just a glimpse, but I'm hoping that Pontiac will share more details after the campaign has matured.

"Though the effort started quietly six weeks ago and is scheduled to run through year's end, it looks to be off to a strong start. In August, G5 sales exceeded sales goals by 185%."

Looks promising... who's next!

Jeep's New MySpace Campaign

Jeep has launched a MySpace page promoting a summer concert series to introduce the new Jeep Compass. Instead of using advertising to drive people to Jeep.com, they're driving consumers to MySpace and Facebook profiles. Read more about the campaign at AdWeek.

It also appears that Jeep has plans to use the MySpace page, located at myspace.com/jeep, for marketing efforts beyond the concert series, which winds up at the end of September.

Great Site for New Volvo C30

Volvo has just introduced a new low-cost compact 2-door car, the C30. As a part of this campaign, they've launched a nice website that takes the "sneak peek" metaphor literally. No word on who created the site.

Link via 37Signals.

DaimlerChrysler: AskDrZ.com

You've probably seen the recent DaimlerChrysler commercials trying to promote the "best of German and American engineering." The new "spokesperson" of this integration is Dr. Dieter Zetsche, affectionately known as "Dr. Z." I thought he was a fictitious character when I first saw the commercials, but it turns out he really is the chairman!

But now, DaimlerChrysler has launched a website that actually turns Dr. Z into a fictitious character. An animated "Dr. Phil" of the car industry, if you will. You can find the site at: www.askdrz.com. I have a few issues with the site.

First off, why the animation? It's totally inconsistent with the overall campaign. I get the feeling that some lawyers got worried about this stuff coming off as Dr. Z's actual opinions. Clearly, we can't let executive types actually SHARE their opinions...

Second, these answers aren't spoken. They're just written out. How boring. We see an animated "avatar" of Dr. Z right there... he even moves around a bit, but he doesn't speak. That's just creepy.

I'm chalking this one up to a good idea that fell by the wayside in execution.

CP+B for VW: Gypsy Cab Project

Volkswagen is re-releasing the Rabbit, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky has launched a new online campaign in support of the effort. The "Gypsy Cab Project" takes a guy from Colorado who's never been to New York, and has him drive a Rabbit as a gypsy cab, offering customers a free fare. Video cameras are outfitted in the car to capture the conversations, and you can watch them on the website: GypsyCabProject.com.

Check out some more commentary on the website in this Clickz article.

Ford: "Bold Moves" Campaign

Ford has launched a site to convince folks that they're making "bold moves" to be an innovative company. This is a weird campaign for Ford. The video "documentary" on the site is a mix of nostalgia, scare tactics and some strange admissions of guilt from Ford employees.

You can visit the website and check it out for yourself at: Fordboldmoves.com.

I'm not sure how to feel about this one. Ford is saying they're making BOLD MOVES, but where's the substance to back it up? I've been fortunate enough to work with Hyundai, a company that's truly made a HUGE turnaround over the last few years, building great cars that are kicking butt on safety and reliability, and look good. Hyundai is making bold moves and letting the results speak for themselves.

Link via Influx Insights.

Hyundai Gazelle

Hyundai is one of my clients. They're airing a new commercial this weekend, but you get to see it online first! Hyundai has come a long way in the last several years, and this spot is a part of their "Rethink Everything" campaign, challenging consumers to see Hyundai in a new light. The ad features a Gazelle facing off with a Lion... with a twist. Check it out:

VW: Crash Your Jetta

Volkswagen has launched yet another innovative online campaign, Crash Your Jetta. Like the GTI test drive video that gets customized depending on the options you select when building your car, Crash Your Jetta allows you to see what happens to the car you've built when it gets hit by things like a Rhino, a giant lizard foot, a ball of twine and more.

What's interesting to me is that most car companies would shy away from showing the actual crashing of their vehicles. But Volkswagen is using the opportunity to showcase safety features. No matter what the scenario, the car comes out pretty well. They even show the "crashes" from different points of view to demonstrate all the air bags.

To see it in action, visit the Jetta build your own and click on "watch safe happen."

Mopar Video Podcasting

The DaimlerChrysler Corporation has launched a video podcast for Mopar. The podcast includes video footage from races and auto shows, commentary and more. The biggest problem I can see is that the videos are way too short. Each is only a couple minutes...

It does look like they're accepting video submissions from viewers, but it doesn't look like the podcast is actually airing any of them yet. I think it's great that they're embracing this new format. Hopefully they'll step it up a notch.

Subscribe to the podcast and learn more at: www.mo-pod.com

Link via Podcasting News.

2006 BMW 3 Series Microsite

BMW has launched a great microsite for the 2006 BMW 3 Series. The site looks great, utilizing lots of 3D renderings of the car, and also has a ton of video content. Beyond that, I was really impressed by the sound used throughout the site.

No word on who created this site for them. Anyone know?

Another Honda Choir Parody

You may have seen the 118 118 spoof of the Honda Choir ad, but somehow I missed this one from the folks at TheDailyPie.com.

Link via AdLand.

Volkswagen UK: Beetle Art

Volkswagen has launched nice website for a special edition Beetle in the UK. On the website, VW has commissioned several artists to create custom decals for the cars, and visitors to the site can explore how those decals might appear on the car. They're also given the chance to win a customized Beetle.

I think this could have been a much better site if they offered far more decal choices. And what about consumer generated content? Why not allow visitors to upload their own artwork?

Link via Adverblog.

Lexus Relearn

Lexus in Australia has launched a nice new site for their GS450 hybrid, check it out at Lexusrelearn.com.au. The site features some nice video integration with flash, although the volume almost blew my ears out. It's worth checking out.

BMW Consumer Generated Campaign

BMW has launched a consumer generated campaign entitled "Say no to compromise." It centers around a website where consumers can upload they're story of why they say "no."

It doesn't look like there's much consumer submitted content on the site right now, and I'm not sure why I would spend more than a few seconds on the site.

Link via The Brilliance.

New CP+B Site: VW Ego Emissions

Crispin Porter + Bogusky has launched a website to coincide with their recent "lowest ego emissions" campaign: www.egoindex.com. The site centers around rating the level of the "ego emissions" of other things like magic wands, MP3 players and more. You can see the overall highest and lowest rankings, search the index of items to rate, as well as add your own item or photo.

Link via AdLand.

Mini Viral: Aveaword.com

Mini in the UK has launched a new viral marketing campaign you can find at: Aveaword.com. The site allows you to customize a video of a bloke to insult your friends and convince them that the new Mini is actually a "man's" car.

And guess what? Mini can still have great virals without Crispin Porter on the roster. This one was created by Glue London.

Toyota Yaris Site

Toyota has launched a great "digital city guide" site for their new Yaris, that includes some pretty cool video. You can check it out at: toyota.com/yaris. The site also has MP3 downloads, buddy icons and several "guides" to download. Created by Hello and Saatchi LA.

Land Rover's Video Push

Land Rover has launched "Go Beyond", a new site that focuses heavily on broadband content, including video. They even have a special section that's essentially an online-only TV channel, "Go Beyond TV." Here's a Clickz article about the new effort.

The video content is pulled from places like the Discovery Channel and the Royal Geographical Society, but Land Rover has produced original content as well. Right now, it's a microsite, but Land Rover has plans to give "Go Beyond" its own URL, and also grow the amount of consumer generated content on the site.

With an increasing demand for video content, driven by increased broadband penetration, many companies are going to see the viability of creating their own online TV channels. It's cheaper in terms of production and licensing costs than trying to get a cable channel, and with the rise of podcasting, there's an additional distribution channel for the content.

I'll be excited to see how this begins to shape up.

NASCAR Selling Meat?

NASCAR fans are rabid... Apparently, NASCAR is going to capitalize on their insatiable hunger with a new line of officially licensed NASCAR meats. Seriously. NASCAR hot dogs, bacon, lunch meat and sausages are available at a grocery store near you.

As much as I want to say this is co-branding gone awry, my gut tells me that this stuff will actually sell like hot cakes. At least, like hot bacon cakes.

Link via AdJab.

Wheelvertising 2.0

Forget generic images on the hubcabs of taxi cabs as advertising... there's something even better now. The "pimp star" from Dub Wheels is a new wheel with LEDs that allows you to load images on your wheels as you drive down the street. Learn more about it at Customwheel.com. According to the site:

"With the PimpStar's built-in full color LED lights, microprocessor and wireless modem, you can display virtually any image, including text, graphics, logos, and even digital photos!"

Make sure you check out this video of them in action. Pretty impressive, but they'll cost you.

Castrol Podcasting

Castrol has launched a podcast "series" hosted by Funkmaster Flex. It's called the Castrol "Unlock the Power" podcast, and features podcasts about cars, racing and of course, oil.

But it seems to me that there are several things Castrol hasn't done well with this podcast.

• No real web presence
  I'm a big proponent of having blogs that accompany any podcast. It allows the podcaster to close the feedback loop by giving the audience a destination online, instead of just in their ears. A blog allows the opportunity to solicit feedback, and have the two-way conversation. A podcast by itself is just being pushed out to the listener. What's more, Funkmaster Flex is supposed to be a cool guy, the audience is supposed to be cool, and the Castrol USA site is NOT a cool site.
• It's a "series", not an ongoing podcast
  This is one of those weird issues that marketers are dealing with. Does a podcast have to be an ongoing effort, for all eternity, or can it just be a few episodes and done with. I think the "series" could work, but it doesn't encourage subscription as much.
• Make sure your podcast works in iTunes!
  There are three episodes available on the Castrol site, but only the first one is showing up in iTunes. I sense an RSS feed problem...
• Use a good photo of Funkmaster Flex
  Please, someone use a better photo of the Funkmaster. He looks mad in that picture. I mean, I couldn't find too many pictures online of him smiling, but the photo Castrol is using looks really bad. Here's a side by side comparison:

Link via Micropersuasion.

Update: Someone from Castrol posted a comment below, and I have to say, I give them two thumbs up for the following: 1.) Jumping into this new medium 2.) Listening to feedback in the blogosphere.

Mercury: The Neverything

Wow... Mercury has launched "The Neverything", a short online film about, well, I'm not sure it's about anything, really. The film is about two brothers who live on a houseboat that's not on the water, they hang out in their underwear and eat a cereal called "frosted sugar balls." It has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with Mercury at all, except for the fact that their logo is on the site.

I think this campaign should definitely bring about conversations on how effective branded content is. You may remember their "meet the lucky ones" campaign... Somehow this new one is even more irrelevant and unrelated to the brand. Anyone know what agency did this for them? Anyone have a clue as to the connection with Mercury? I'm speechless on this one.

The Neverything: www.theneverything.com

Update: Adrants points out that this is a part of a larger campaign. There's another site at: www.lovelybysurprise.com. The two sites are supposed to show two sides of the story. I guess the idea here is that a writer's fiction takes over her real life. Is that the connection with this campaign?

VW "Frog" Commercial

Great new commercial from DDB Berlin for the Volkswagen Golf GT. Link via Ad Blather.

Saab AeroX Site

Great use of 3D and flash on this new microsite for Saab's AeroX concept car. This isn't your ordinary Saab, and it's worthy of their new "born from jets" tagline.

Rashes Are Red...

Dodge has launched a European campaign with a strange twist... aggressive young people with rashes on their body in the shape of the Dodge Ram logo. You can check out the commercials at RamRash.com.

Quite frankly, I think this is awful. Nobody likes rashes.

Link via AdFreak.

BMW + Joshua Davis = Rad

BMW has launched a site for what they're calling the "Z4byJD" project. They comissioned well known digital design superstar Joshua Davis (of Praystation fame), to create a series of limited edition digital prints based on the new BMW Z4 coupe. I think Joshua also built the site, which can be found at: z4byjd.com

On the site, you can view a "making of" movie, download some wallpapers, learn about the new Z4 coupe... and oh yeah, you can actually buy one of the unique prints. But get ready to shell out some dough. It will cost you about $280. So BMW gets to recoup some costs as a part of the campaign!

CP+B's New Volkswagen Work

You may have seen the commercials for the new Volkswagen GTI that launched during the Olympics.

You may have noticed the new icon for the campaign, an evil plastic bunny. That evil plastic bunny also appeared on a website called "project fast", and on eBay... Apparently, the VW target likes plastic toys. They also like evil bunnies.

This is the new Crispin Porter + Bogusky work for VW. Anyone slightly disappointed?

Link via Adfreak.

Ford's Mediocre "Viral"

Ford has launched a microsite that's a kind of "viral" campaign for their involvement with NASCAR. It centers around a fake condition called "Overactive Adrenaline Disorder." The microsite is supposed to read like a public awareness message for the condition, and includes a "test."

But Ford made some mistakes in my opinion. First off, the test is way too short, and isn't entertaining at all. In addition, they have no dedicated URL for the site. Instead, it's located at: fordvehicles.com/oad/.

Overall, the site's just too light, and isn't that interesting. Check out this Clickz article on the site. According to that article the site was designed to "reach out to casual racing fans and build an affinity between them and the Ford Racing team."

I don't think it comes even close to doing that. But it looks nice.

Volvo: 3D Glasses Required

Volvo has launched a website for viewing with 3D glasses for the Volvo X-Sea Challenge. According to the site, "3D glasses were sent out to Volvo prospects around the world with a special VIP link printed on them." Of course, you can still check out the site, but it just isn't the same without 3D glasses.

BMW Audiobooks

BMW, in conjunction with Random House, has launched a series of unique short story audio books. You can download the first in the series at BMWAudiobooks.com. Adverblog points out that not so long ago, BMW said branded entertainment was becoming too expensive, and they were terminating those efforts.

Well, I guess they aren't.

Mini Dominatrix

Crispin Port... who? Mini Canada launches on their homepage a showcase of how the car "dominates" winter conditions. Created by Taxi.

Link via Adverblog.

More on GM & Google

I thought I'd elaborate a little on GM's recent use of Google in their TV ads. It's an interesting position to take. Surely, they get some brand cred by associating themselves with Google, but what are the other impacts? First, watch the ad here, and then I have a few thoughts on it.

Here are some issues to think about:

1. Search Engine Ad Mandate
   Yes, since GM makes the proclamation that all you need to do is search for "Pontiac" on Google, then GM has to make sure they're always running a PPC search ad at the #1 position on Google. Now, they already have the #1 natural listing, but because there are no guarantees in natural search, they have to always be #1 on every search for "Pontiac" on Google. It's worth noting that GM is running PPC search ads for the "Pontiac" query right now.
   
2. Paying for Free Traffic?
   Someone could surely argue that because they're referring folks to Google, and some of those folks are clicking on PPC search engine ads, they are paying for traffic to their site that would have otherwise been free. Sure... some, but there's not much of a way to track it.
3. The Google Risk?
   Consider the following scenario... Someone who hates Pontiac Google-bombs the query "Pontiac", and now in the top 10 results on that search, there's a listing for Pontiacsucks.com. In this scenario, their direction of folks to Google might not be such a good brand play.

I'm just thinking out loud about this, but these are definitely things any company thinking of following suit should think about.

Update: It looks like Mazda has fulfilled the risk above. They've been running a PPC search engine ad on Google touting a comparison between the Pontiac Solstice and the Miata! Thanks to Paul for the heads up.

Honda Video Podcasting

The Wieden + Kennedy London blog has posted about a new podcasting effort from Honda in the UK. They've released their latest Honda Civic ad, which features a choir, in video podcast format in iTunes. The 4 episodes in the video podcast include the finished ad, as well as 3 "behind the scenes" episodes.

Follow this link to watch the video podcast in iTunes.

Honda Civic Video Podcast

As a part of the launch of the new 2006 Honda Civic, Honda is reportedly creating a video podcast. The video podcast (or vodcast/videocast) will feature the 2-minute TV ad created by Wieden + Kennedy, as well as video from the "making of" the commercial. I'm not sure if this type of footage really makes a video podcast, but at least we know Honda is making an effort. Why wouldn't they, with Toyota, Lexus, GM, Volvo and all the other car manufacturers getting into the podcast arena.

Link via AdJab.

Big Lexus Podcasting Effort

Lexus has launched a podcasting campaign for the new IS sport sedan. The effort consists of music podcasts that are about 1/2 hour each, and are also sponsored by Vibe magazine. They've launched a microsite for the effort: LexusFusion.com. You can access the podcasts at that site, as well additional content such as video. The podcast doesn't appear to be showing up on iTunes yet, but hopefully it will. Lexus is also undertaking a blog advertising buy to support this effort.

Check out the Clickz article for more details.

Lexus has been very active in the podcasting arena, sponsoring several other podcasts such as KCRW, some AOL music podcasts and podcasts for the US Open. We're sure to see more interesting podcasting efforts from Lexus in the future.

New Hyundai Azera Site

The agency I work for just launched a new site for the Hyundai Azera. It's a new model released to compete with cars such as the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima and the Ford Five Hundred. The Azera beats them all in terms of safety features, interior space and price. It's worth checking out.

Thanks for allowing me a bit of shameless self-promotion.

Honda Element & Friends

The Honda Element and Friends website is a fun interactive experience. Drive a 2006 Honda Element around a map, meeting animals and playing short games. Not sure when this was made, but this is the first time I've seen it, and it's worth a look.

New Ford Focus ST Site

Ford has launched a new site for the Ford Focus ST in Europe. The site is definitely geared towards the broadband user, and not for the faint of fiber.

Audi TV Channel

I rarely ever post links to articles that require registration, but this one is too good to pass up. According to this LA Times article (registration required), Audi has launched a TV channel in the UK, and may have plans to expand to other countries. Here's the explanation of the Audi Channel from that article:

"The Audi Channel will run 24 hours, seven days a week and is aimed at a mass-market audience: British car owners and car enthusiasts. The launch schedule is split between product-related "infotainment" during the day and more general entertainment-driven material in the evenings and on weekends."

The channel is broadcast to 7.6 million homes through Sky Digital satellite TV, and cost Audi around $3.5 million to set up, and around the same in running costs each year, which is about the same as the annual expenditure on the Audi UK website.

So why did they do it? Because of the fragmenting media marketplace, and the fact that they were concerned people weren't spending enough time with their TV ads. I guess when the whole channel is a commercial, your TiVo doesn't have the same appeal.

Visit the Audi TV Channel section on the Audi UK site.

My question is... why didn't they do this online, instead of on satellite TV? I would ask Howard Stern the same question.

Link via AdPulp.

Saab Animal Vision

This has got to be one of the coolest microsites I've seen in a while. Saab's "Animal Vision" is very simple, but the overall idea is really strong, and the use of video shot uniquely for the site is impressive. Kudos Saab... this is nice.

VW: 120 Short Films

Volkswagen has launched a new campaign for the Passat. The new campaign features 120... that's right, 120 short films that highlight the features of the car. Each short film is :15 seconds in length, and they're all accessible from the VW homepage. Just click on the icon on the bottom right of the hompeage.

Link via Adrants.

BMW Origami

The BMW site in Thailand has a feature that allows users to download printouts of 16 different cars, which they can cut out and make into their own 3D paper model. Why not encourage users to actually "create" something with these paper models?

Link via Adverblog.

Jeep: We Are The Mudds

We Are The Mudds is a website for the launch of Jeep's new SUV, the Commander. The Mudds are a fictional family that apparently cannot keep themselves clean.

There's not much information there now, but additional content will be available on the site starting October 24th. This includes bi-weekly episodes... and oh no, a character blog.

MINI Roof Studio

MINI has launched a "Roof Studio" site, where visitors can upload custom designs for the roofs of MINI Coopers. It's got interesting flash navigation... and the designs run the gamut from cool to hilarious to really, really bad. Worth checking out.

VW: Force of Good

Volkswagon has launched a multi-channel marketing effort for the 2006 VW Beetle. It features TV, a promotional tour and a website. The main feature on the website is a "do battle" section, where you can pit the Beetle's "force of good" against "forces of evil" such as bad 80's hair, banana hammocks and burnt toast... The result is marginally entertaining animations.

Link via Adland.

Saab Race Against Time

Check out the Saab - Race Against Time site. It's a great video based "choose your own adventure" game for the new 9-3 SportWagon. You can even invite a friend to race against you.

Daewoo Matiz

This is a nice looking site for the Daewoo Matiz. You don't have to understand Russian to enjoy the site. It's interesting to see good interactivity communicating as much as words. Definitely worth checking out.

Link via Adverblog.

MINI Podcast

Whiteroofradio.com describes itself as "the #1 podcast for the new MINI Cooper!" But they're in no way associated with the company. Shouldn't MINI be embracing this? Link via Podcasting News.

BMW Online Magazine

Into the Storm is an online magazine produced in association with BMW. There's some really great content in these issues. The latest issue focuses on two themes: Who's your hero? and...When we think of good and noble today, what do we think of?

I think this is a cool effort on BMW's part. The content is actually good, not fluff.